ELECTRIC BRAKE RETARDERS DEMONSTRATION FOR SMALL PARATRANSIT BUSES. REVISED FINAL REPORT

CNYRTA operates a demand responsive paratransit system for the elderly and handicapped (E&H) in the Syracuse metropolitan area. Service is provided with a fleet of 15 small, gasoline powered wheelchair equipped buses. Each bus operates 8 hours and 107 miles daily (5 days a week) and used in door-to-door E&H service in addition to rural service throughout Onondaga County. Brake repair is a major cost problem. Brake overhauls occur every 3,000-4,000 mi. (vehicles average 30,000 mi. of revenue service annually). The solution proposed by CNYRTA for the small bus brake problem was to use electric brake retarders--an independent braking system not dependent upon friction to generate a retarding force. (The retarder works simultaneously with standard brakes but absorbs up to 75 percent of braking energy; thus, intervals between brake overhauls can be increased as much as 400-500 percent, and the life of the linings and drums/rotors are greatly extended.) The purpose of this demonstration project was to install and evaluate electric brake retarders on six 22-foot Thomas buses. Data was collected from 6 Thomas buses equipped with retarders and 2 Thomas buses not equipped with retarders. Data was compared and evaluated over an 18 month period. Miles between relinings increased with retarder equipped vehicles. This report contains a description of the electric brake retarder, evaluation and project conclusions. The maintenance staff recommended that future retarder purchases be written into bus specifications of future bus purchases as opposed to the retrofit of existing vehicles.

• Corporate Authors:

  Central New York Regional Transportation Authority

  One Centro Center, 200 Cortland Avenue, Drawer 820
  Syracuse, NY  United States  13205-0820

  Urban Mass Transportation Administration

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Shanley, J
• Publication Date: 1988-3

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: 66 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aged; Data collection; Demand responsive transportation; Electric brakes; Maintenance management; Paratransit services; Persons with disabilities; Retarders (Concrete); Small buses
• Identifier Terms: Urban Mass Transportation Act
• Uncontrolled Terms: Maintenance costs
• Geographic Terms: Syracuse (New York)
• Old TRIS Terms: Retarders; Umta section 6
• Subject Areas: Public Transportation; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00484832
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-NY-06-0118-88-1
• Contract Numbers: UMTA-NY-06-0118
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jun 30 1989 12:00AM